Dear underclassmen,

My name is Kendall, and I am a senior graduating in less than two weeks. For context, I am a quiet theater/music kid who has almost always felt out of place at school. I have been playing instruments since third grade, have always loved art and writing, and have never been too fascinated with typical school subjects. Although I am a hard worker, I never found interest in sports, math, science, history, etc. Although I did well in my classes and may seem to fit in on the surface, I am creative at heart. Throughout my education I haven’t been able to relate to many people in this sense, so I hope that by writing this letter I can be that for someone else.

My high school career has been nothing short of chaotic. My freshman year occurred amid the COVID-19 pandemic. I decided to take all my classes virtually, and the world was not the same as I had always known it to be. Leading up to my freshman year I had high hopes for what high school would be like. But when the world shut down, I felt stuck as the little eighth grader who hadn’t quite finished middle school and wasn’t ready to grow up. 

I’m not here to tell you that everything miraculously gets better or easier once you become an upperclassman. But as I see graduation right around the corner, I have realized how much my hard work has paid off. I may not be the most popular or the loudest, but sticking true to myself has allowed me to learn a few things I’d like to share. 

We all have drastically different experiences, so I won’t tell you how to handle every situation, obstacle, or downfall, but I do want to say how important it is to trust the process. This is much easier said than done but, in reality, at the end of your four years at MHS, you will likely never see most of the people at this school again. It can be sad to think about, but it can also be a freeing thought. All those embarrassing moments, conversations that you wish had played out differently, and little mistakes that have monopolized your every waking thought, will completely lose significance once you step out of the MHS doors for the final time. 

There is so much pressure to fit into a certain crowd and act or look a certain way, but in the long run, it doesn’t matter at all. At the end of your high school years, it is important that you can look back and say, “I did what was best for me, and I stayed true to myself.” It by no means is easy, but it is worth it. You have to live with yourself for your entire life, so you should learn to be happy with who you are. Don’t give up on yourself.

The main advice that I can give you is to remember that everyone is on their own journey, so follow yours, not anyone else’s. The beauty of life is found in the little things and the small differences between us as individuals. It has taken me a very long time to realize that being your own person is worth it, regardless of what other people may think. And remember that everyone is human, including you. So be kind to yourself, and be kind to others. Everyone is living life for the first time.

This is me, signing off of the Milford Scarlet Newspaper.

All the best,

Kendall Dexter